Designed by Carolina Maholik of Reico Kitchen & Bath in Chantilly VA, in collaboration with Victoriano Home Improvements, this transitional kitchen design features Merillat Masterpiece cabinets in the Martel Evercore door style in two finishes, Dove White (perimeter cabinets) and Riverbed (kitchen island). The kitchen countertops are Cambria Berywn. The kitchen includes a tile backsplash in Elon Opal in Gray 3x12 with a Light Pewter grout and Maytag, Whirlpool and KitchenAid appliances. “The clients were very big on the function of their space,” said Carolina. “The largest issue we faced was finding a balance between brightening and updating the look of the space while also not sacrificing the functionality of their daily lives. Many design iterations brought us back to classic beauty with an updated look that was the main gathering space of their home. My favorite aspect was seeing the once hated window box over the sink be transformed by updating the initial focal point of the space and create harmony with the rest of the space!” “Every aspect of our kitchen was a pleasure, from start to finish. We knew the minute we met Carolina that she would be the right person to design our kitchen and guide us through the process,” said the client. “Because Reico truly values its customers, indicated by both their words and their actions, our confidence never wavered. Carrie responded to all communications nearly instantaneously, and like Carolina, she made us feel like we were the only customers in her world.” “The care that the entire Reico team brought to the table and the patience Carolina extended were much appreciated. She really listens and has talent for sifting through all the talk to get to the best design. We love that our kitchen has a wide appeal and is very us. It is light and bright while remaining warm and inviting.” Photos courtesy of BTW Images LLC.

Here’s a job I completed just before Christmas last year, at a house in Northampton which has a rich history and mix of architectural styles. The run up to Christmas is always popular as people try to get their household projects finished off in time for celebrating the festive season with family so this is always a busy time for Tile Doctor. The photos below show a neglected Victorian Quarry tiled floor in need of repair, with cracked tiles along the edges. These were caused by somebody in the past using brute force to remove carpet gripper rods which had been glued to the tiles. These cracks were present around the edges of the entire hallway, however; this particular type of tile is very hard to get hold of. Furthermore, it is a costly process to replace the tiles as the skirting boards would have had to have been removed. As well as the physical issues the floor had a dull appearance due to the build-up of builder’s dust and the general wearing down of the paintwork over time. I agreed with the client that the best course of action would be to fill the tiles, and paint the damaged tiles using a colour that matched as close as possible. Many of my Tile Doctor colleagues would disagree with this approach opting to source the correct tile and rebuild the damaged section however unfortunately in this case we didn’t have the time or the budget. My first action was to use a brush and vacuum to remove as much loose debris and dust as possible. I followed this by agitating the tiles with a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean which is a strong alkaline product and safe to use on tile and stone. I use a combination of a coarse burnishing pad fitted to a rotary machine and hand held brushes, in order to get the floor clean. The resulting slurry was then rinsed and removed using a wet vacuum. This process was repeated twice followed by a thorough rinse to ensure any trace of cleaning agent had been removed and the floor neutralised. As this was such an old property, I then used a steamer to heat up the tiles in order to draw out any contaminants and assist with the drying process. I installed a fan to dry the floor before starting repairs, mixing up some coloured grout and filling all holes and cracks along the edges, including the doormat area. I allowed the coloured grout to dry overnight, before hand painting the black and Terracotta tiles. These were then given time to dry (about a couple of hours). Following this, I carefully painted in the other colours: brown and cream. The overall effect was quite convincing and you had to look very closely to notice. Due to the fact that there were other tradesmen working in the house at the time, the floors were sheeted up to protect from additional dust and muck. I then left the house for a week, allowing the floor ample time to dry completely in preparation for sealing. Upon my return, I took damp meter readings, and once satisfied with the dryness of the tiles, I began the sealing process with the impregnating, colour-enhancing sealer Tile Doctor Colour Grow. The sealer provides both durable surface protection and an aesthetically pleasing matte finish. The below photos show how the product has enriched the colours with the two coats applied. The process of restoring this wonderful Victorian Quarry tiled floor was certainly time consuming, but very rewarding. I am exceptionally pleased with the results myself, and my client couldn’t have been happier and I’m sure the newly revitalised hallway will have been a talking point for all their visitors during the Christmas break. Phil Vissian Northamptonshire Tile Doctor

Designed by Carolina Maholik of Reico Kitchen & Bath in Chantilly VA, in collaboration with Victoriano Home Improvements, this transitional kitchen design features Merillat Masterpiece cabinets in the Martel Evercore door style in two finishes, Dove White (perimeter cabinets) and Riverbed (kitchen island). The kitchen countertops are Cambria Berywn. The kitchen includes a tile backsplash in Elon Opal in Gray 3x12 with a Light Pewter grout and Maytag, Whirlpool and KitchenAid appliances. “The clients were very big on the function of their space,” said Carolina. “The largest issue we faced was finding a balance between brightening and updating the look of the space while also not sacrificing the functionality of their daily lives. Many design iterations brought us back to classic beauty with an updated look that was the main gathering space of their home. My favorite aspect was seeing the once hated window box over the sink be transformed by updating the initial focal point of the space and create harmony with the rest of the space!” “Every aspect of our kitchen was a pleasure, from start to finish. We knew the minute we met Carolina that she would be the right person to design our kitchen and guide us through the process,” said the client. “Because Reico truly values its customers, indicated by both their words and their actions, our confidence never wavered. Carrie responded to all communications nearly instantaneously, and like Carolina, she made us feel like we were the only customers in her world.” “The care that the entire Reico team brought to the table and the patience Carolina extended were much appreciated. She really listens and has talent for sifting through all the talk to get to the best design. We love that our kitchen has a wide appeal and is very us. It is light and bright while remaining warm and inviting.” Photos courtesy of BTW Images LLC.

Designed by Carolina Maholik of Reico Kitchen & Bath in Chantilly VA, in collaboration with Victoriano Home Improvements, this transitional kitchen design features Merillat Masterpiece cabinets in the Martel Evercore door style in two finishes, Dove White (perimeter cabinets) and Riverbed (kitchen island). The kitchen countertops are Cambria Berywn. The kitchen includes a tile backsplash in Elon Opal in Gray 3x12 with a Light Pewter grout and Maytag, Whirlpool and KitchenAid appliances. “The clients were very big on the function of their space,” said Carolina. “The largest issue we faced was finding a balance between brightening and updating the look of the space while also not sacrificing the functionality of their daily lives. Many design iterations brought us back to classic beauty with an updated look that was the main gathering space of their home. My favorite aspect was seeing the once hated window box over the sink be transformed by updating the initial focal point of the space and create harmony with the rest of the space!” “Every aspect of our kitchen was a pleasure, from start to finish. We knew the minute we met Carolina that she would be the right person to design our kitchen and guide us through the process,” said the client. “Because Reico truly values its customers, indicated by both their words and their actions, our confidence never wavered. Carrie responded to all communications nearly instantaneously, and like Carolina, she made us feel like we were the only customers in her world.” “The care that the entire Reico team brought to the table and the patience Carolina extended were much appreciated. She really listens and has talent for sifting through all the talk to get to the best design. We love that our kitchen has a wide appeal and is very us. It is light and bright while remaining warm and inviting.” Photos courtesy of BTW Images LLC.

Designed by Carolina Maholik of Reico Kitchen & Bath in Chantilly VA, in collaboration with Victoriano Home Improvements, this transitional kitchen design features Merillat Masterpiece cabinets in the Martel Evercore door style in two finishes, Dove White (perimeter cabinets) and Riverbed (kitchen island). The kitchen countertops are Cambria Berywn. The kitchen includes a tile backsplash in Elon Opal in Gray 3x12 with a Light Pewter grout and Maytag, Whirlpool and KitchenAid appliances. “The clients were very big on the function of their space,” said Carolina. “The largest issue we faced was finding a balance between brightening and updating the look of the space while also not sacrificing the functionality of their daily lives. Many design iterations brought us back to classic beauty with an updated look that was the main gathering space of their home. My favorite aspect was seeing the once hated window box over the sink be transformed by updating the initial focal point of the space and create harmony with the rest of the space!” “Every aspect of our kitchen was a pleasure, from start to finish. We knew the minute we met Carolina that she would be the right person to design our kitchen and guide us through the process,” said the client. “Because Reico truly values its customers, indicated by both their words and their actions, our confidence never wavered. Carrie responded to all communications nearly instantaneously, and like Carolina, she made us feel like we were the only customers in her world.” “The care that the entire Reico team brought to the table and the patience Carolina extended were much appreciated. She really listens and has talent for sifting through all the talk to get to the best design. We love that our kitchen has a wide appeal and is very us. It is light and bright while remaining warm and inviting.” Photos courtesy of BTW Images LLC.

Designed by Carolina Maholik of Reico Kitchen & Bath in Chantilly VA, in collaboration with Victoriano Home Improvements, this transitional kitchen design features Merillat Masterpiece cabinets in the Martel Evercore door style in two finishes, Dove White (perimeter cabinets) and Riverbed (kitchen island). The kitchen countertops are Cambria Berywn. The kitchen includes a tile backsplash in Elon Opal in Gray 3x12 with a Light Pewter grout and Maytag, Whirlpool and KitchenAid appliances. “The clients were very big on the function of their space,” said Carolina. “The largest issue we faced was finding a balance between brightening and updating the look of the space while also not sacrificing the functionality of their daily lives. Many design iterations brought us back to classic beauty with an updated look that was the main gathering space of their home. My favorite aspect was seeing the once hated window box over the sink be transformed by updating the initial focal point of the space and create harmony with the rest of the space!” “Every aspect of our kitchen was a pleasure, from start to finish. We knew the minute we met Carolina that she would be the right person to design our kitchen and guide us through the process,” said the client. “Because Reico truly values its customers, indicated by both their words and their actions, our confidence never wavered. Carrie responded to all communications nearly instantaneously, and like Carolina, she made us feel like we were the only customers in her world.” “The care that the entire Reico team brought to the table and the patience Carolina extended were much appreciated. She really listens and has talent for sifting through all the talk to get to the best design. We love that our kitchen has a wide appeal and is very us. It is light and bright while remaining warm and inviting.” Photos courtesy of BTW Images LLC.

Caroline Mardon
Photo of a traditional landscaping in London.

Keith and Amy loved their home in quiet Wake Forest neighborhood on a large corner lot on a cul-de-sac. Over time, Amy had developed allergic reactions to unknown allergens in their home. As her condition worsened, it became impossible for her to spend much time in the home, and they were forced to move out and find temporary housing accommodations. After months of talking with other home improvement providers and indoor air “experts” and trying other solutions to no avail including having their HVAC ducting cleaned, they turned to Paradise Found Construction and our expertise and experience in transforming indoor environments in homes into healthy and clean living spaces. Because many of the improvements we undertook to create a cleaner environment also provided energy savings, we had our work certified under the 2012 National Green Building Standards (NGBS) and were award a Bronze level certification for the home. We conducted a thorough investigation and testing regimen that included bringing in our team industry leading air quality and HVAC experts, we developed a comprehensive plan of action that would solve their “sick home syndrome”. We removed all of the carpeting and pad from the home and thoroughly cleaned all surfaces and filtered the air with advanced HEPA filtration units. There were a few areas of mold in the crawl space which we mitigated as well. We thoroughly air sealed the home, paying particular attention to the ground level and attic floor system. Since the HVAC systems and ducting had become re-contaminated, we cleaned both units and all associated duct work. To eliminate unhealthy air being drawn into the home from the crawl space, we completely sealed and conditioned the crawl. In order to provide a controlled entry point for clean fresh air into the home we installed an energy efficient stand-alone Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV). We installed wood flooring in all of the living areas that did not have wood flooring, and finished all of the flooring using a NO-VOC water-based floor finish. All of the painted surfaces of the home were sealed and painted with NO-VOC latex paint. To further improve the energy performance of the home in addition to thoroughly air-sealing and sealing and conditioning the crawl space, we installed 100% LED lighting in the home. We improved the water efficiency of the home by installing low-flow EPA WaterSense rated toilets and shower heads, converted all of the bathroom and kitchen faucets to be more water efficient. Upon completion, Amy and her family was able to move back into their cozy and clean “new home”, and are once again able to enjoy and be comfortable in their home.